Chapter I: MARTHA CARRIER was Indicted for the bewitching of certain Persons, (1)

according to the Form usual in such Cases, pleading _Not Guilty_, [80] to her Indictment; there were first brought in a considerable number of the bewitched Persons; who not only made the Court sensible of an horrid Witchcraft committed upon them, but also deposed, That it was _Martha Carrier_, or her Shape, that grievously tormented them, by Biting, Pricking, Pinching and Choaking of them. It was further deposed, That while this _Carrier_ was on her Examination, before the Magistrates, the Poor People were so tortured that every one expected their Death upon the very spot, but that upon the binding of _Carrier_ they were eased. Moreover the Look of _Carrier_ then laid the Afflicted People for dead; and her Touch, if her Eye at the same time were off them, raised them again: Which Things were also now seen upon her Tryal. And it was testified, That upon the mention of some having their Necks twisted almost round, by the Shape of this _Carrier_, she replyed, _Its no matter though their Necks had been twisted quite off_.

II. Before the Trial of this Prisoner, several of her own Children had frankly and fully confessed, not only that they were Witches themselves, but that this their Mother had made them so. This Confession they made with great Shews of Repentance, and with much Demonstration of Truth. They related Place, Time, Occasion; they gave an account of Journeys, Meetings and Mischiefs by them performed, and were very credible in what they said. Nevertheless, this Evidence was not produced against the Prisoner at the Bar, inasmuch as there was other Evidence enough to proceed upon.

III. _Benjamin Abbot_[180] gave in his Testimony, That last _March_ was a twelvemonth, this _Carrier_ was very angry with him, upon laying out some Land, near her Husband's: Her Expressions in this Anger, were, _That she would stick as close to Abbot as the Bark stuck to the Tree; and that he should repent of it afore seven Years came to an End, so as Doctor_ Prescot[181] _should never cure him_. These Words were heard by others besides _Abbot_ himself; who also heard her say, _She would hold his Nose as close to the Grindstone as ever it was held since his Name was_ Abbot. Presently after this, he was taken with a Swelling in his Foot, and then with a Pain in his Side, and exceedingly tormented. It bred into a Sore, which was launced by Doctor _Prescot_, and several Gallons of Corruption ran out of it. For six Weeks it continued very bad, and then another Sore bred in the Groin, which was also lanced by Doctor _Prescot_. Another Sore then bred in his Groin, which was likewise cut, and put him to very great Misery: He was brought unto Death's Door, and so remained until _Carrier_ was taken, and carried away by the Constable, from which very Day he began to mend, and so grew better every Day, and is well ever since.

_Sarah Abbot_ also, his Wife, testified, That her Hus[41]band was not only all this while Afflicted in his Body, but also that strange extraordinary and unaccountable Calamities befel his Cattel; their Death being such as they could guess at no Natural Reason for.

IV. _Allin Toothaker_[182] testify'd, That _Richard_, the son of _Martha Carrier_, having some difference with him, pull'd him down by the Hair of the Head. When he Rose again, he was going to strike at _Richard Carrier;_ but fell down flat on his Back to the ground, and had not power to stir hand or foot, until he told _Carrier_ he yielded; and then he saw the shape of _Martha Carrier_, go off his breast.

This _Toothaker_, had Received a wound in the _Wars;_ and he now testify'd, that _Martha Carrier_ told him, He _should never be Cured_. Just afore the Apprehending of _Carrier_, he could thrust a knitting Needle into his wound, four inches deep; but presently after her being siezed, he was thoroughly healed.

He further testify'd, that when _Carrier_ and he sometimes were at variance, she would clap her hands at him, and say, _He should get nothing by it;_ whereupon he several times lost his Cattle, by strange Deaths, whereof no natural causes could be given.

V. _John Rogger_[183] also testifyed, That upon the threatning words of this malicious _Carrier_, his Cattle would be strangely bewitched; as was more particularly then described.

VI. _Samuel Preston_[184] testify'd, that about two years ago, having some difference with _Martha Carrier_, he lost a _Cow_ in a strange Preternatural unusual manner; and about a month after this, the said _Carrier_, having again some difference with him, she told him; _He had lately lost a Cow, and it should not be long before he lost another;_ which accordingly came to pass; for he had a thriving and well-kept _Cow_, which without any known cause quickly fell down and dy'd.

VII. _Phebe Chandler_[185] testify'd, that about a Fortnight before the apprehension of _Martha Carrier_, on a Lordsday, while the Psalm was singing in the _Church_, this _Carrier_ then took her by the shoulder and shaking her, asked her, _where she lived:_ she made her no Answer, although as _Carrier_, who lived next door to her Fathers House, could not in reason but know who she was. Quickly after this, as she was at several times crossing the Fields, she heard a voice, that she took to be _Martha Carriers_, and it seem'd as if it [42] was over her head. The voice told her, _she should within two or three days be poisoned_. Accordingly, within such a little time, one half of her right hand, became greatly swollen, and very painful; as also part of her Face; whereof she can give no account how it came. It continued very bad for some dayes; and several times since, she has had a great pain in her breast; and been so siezed on her leggs, that she has hardly been able to go. She added, that lately, going well to the House of God, _Richard_, the son of _Martha Carrier_, look'd very earnestly upon her, and immediately her hand, which had formerly been poisoned, as is abovesaid, began to pain her greatly, and she had a strange Burning at her stomach; but was then struck deaf, so that she could not hear any of the prayer, or singing, till the two or three last words of the Psalm.

VIII. One _Foster_,[186] who confessed her own share in the Witchcraft for which the Prisoner stood indicted, affirm'd, that she had seen the prisoner at some of their _Witch-meetings_, and that it was this _Carrier_, who perswaded her to be a Witch. She confessed, that the Devil carry'd them on a pole, to a Witch-meeting; but the pole broke, and she hanging about _Carriers_ neck, they both fell down, and she then received an hurt by the Fall, whereof she was not at this very time recovered.

IX. One _Lacy_,[187] who likewise confessed her share in this Witchcraft, now testify'd, that she and the prisoner were once Bodily present at a _Witch-meeting_ in _Salem Village;_ and that she knew the prisoner to be a Witch, and to have been at a Diabolical sacrament, and that the prisoner was the undoing of her, and her Children, by enticing them into the snare of the Devil.

X. Another _Lacy_, who also confessed her share in this Witchcraft, now testify'd, that the prisoner was at the _Witch-meeting_, in _Salem Village_, where they had Bread and Wine Administred unto them.

XI. In the time of this prisoner's Trial, one _Susanna Sheldon_,[188] in open Court had her hands Unaccountably ty'd together with a Wheel-band, so fast that without cutting, it could not be loosed: It was done by a _Spectre;_ and the Sufferer affirm'd, it was the _Prisoners_.

_Memorandum._ This Rampant Hag, _Martha Carrier_, was the [43] person, of whom the Confessions of the Witches, and of her own Children among the rest, agreed, That the Devil had promised her, she should be _Queen of Hell_.[189]

HAVING thus far done the Service imposed upon me; I will further pursue it, by relating a few of those Matchless CURIOSITIES, with which the _Witchcraft_ now upon us, has entertained us. And I shall Report nothing but with Good Authority, and what I would invite all my Readers to examine, while 'tis yet Fresh and New, that if there be found any mistake, it may be as willingly _Retracted_, as it was unwillingly _Committed_.

_The First_ CURIOSITIE.

I. 'Tis very Remarkable to see what an Impious and Impudent _imitation_ of Divine Things, is Apishly affected by the Devil, in several of those matters, whereof the Confessions of our _Witches_, and the Afflictions of our _Sufferers_ have informed us.

That Reverend and Excellent Person, Mr. _John Higginson_, in my Conversation with him, Once invited me to this Reflection; that the Indians which came from far to settle about _Mexico_, were in their Progress to that Settlement, under a Conduct of the _Devil_, very strangely Emulating what the Blessed God gave to _Israel_ in the Wilderness.

_Acosta_,[190] is our Author for it, that the Devil in 'their Idol _Vitzlipultzli_,[191] governed that mighty Nation. He commanded them to leave their Country, promising to make them _Lords_ over all the Provinces possessed by _Six_ other Nations of Indians, and give them a Land abounding with all precious things. They went forth, carrying their Idol with them, in a Coffer of _Reeds_, supported by Four of their Principal _Priests;_ with whom he still _Discoursed_ in secret, Revealing to them the Successes, and Accidents of their way. He advised them, when to _March_, and where to _Stay_, and without his Commandment they moved not. The first thing they did, wherever they came, was to Erect a _Tabernacle_, for their false god; which they set always in the midst of their Camp, and there placed the _Ark_ upon an _Alter_. When they, Tired with pains, talked of, _proceeding no further_ in their Journey, then a certain pleasant Stage, whereto they were arrived, this Devil in one night, horribly kill'd them that [44] had started this Talk, by pulling out their Hearts. And so they passed on till they came to _Mexico._'

The Devil which _then_ thus imitated what was in the Church of the _Old Testament_, now among _Us_ would Imitate the Affairs of the Church in the _New_. The _Witches_ do say, that they form themselves much after the manner of _Congregational Churches;_ and that they have a _Baptism_ and a _Supper_, and _Officers_ among them, abominably Resembling those of our Lord.[192]

But there are many more of these Bloody _Imitations_, if the Confessions of the _Witches_ are to be Received; which I confess, ought to be but with very much of Caution.

What is their stricking down with a fierce _Look?_ What is their making of the Afflicted _Rise_, with a touch of their _Hand?_ What is their Transportation thro' the _Air?_ What is their Travelling _in Spirit_, while their Body is cast into a Trance? What is their causing of _Cattle_ to run mad and perish? What is their Entring their Names in a _Book?_ What is their coming together from all parts at the Sound of a _Trumpet?_ What is their Appearing sometimes Cloathed with _Light_ or _Fire_ upon them? What is their Covering of themselves and their Instruments with _Invisibility?_ But a Blasphemous Imitation of certain Things recorded about our Saviour or His Prophets, or the Saints in the Kingdom of God.[193]

_A Second_ CURIOSITIE.

II. In all the _Witchcraft_ which now Grievously Vexes us, I know not whether anything be more Unaccountable, than the Trick which the Witches have to render themselves, and their Tools _Invisible_. _Witchcraft_ seems to be the Skill of Applying the _Plastic Spirit_ of the World, unto some unlawful purposes, by means of a Confederacy with _Evil Spirits_. Yet one would wonder how the _Evil Spirits_ themselves can do some things: especially at _Invisibilizing_ of the Grossest Bodies. I can tell the Name of an Ancient Author, who pretends to show the _way_, how a man may come to walk about _Invisible_, and I can tell the Name of another Ancient Author, who pretends to Explode that way. But I will not speak too plainly Lest I should unawares Poison some of my _Readers_, as the pious _Hemingius_[194] did one of his _Pupils_, when he only by way of Diversion recited a _Spell_, which, they had said, would cure _Agues_. This much I will say; The notion of procuring _Invisibility_, by any _Natural Expedient_, yet known, is, I Believe, a meer PLINYISM;[195] How far it may be [45] obtained by a _Magical Sacrament_, is best known to the Dangerous Knaves that have try'd it. But our _Witches_ do seem to have got the knack: and this is one of the Things, that make me think, _Witchcraft_ will not be fully understood, until the day when there shall not be one Witch in the World.

There are certain people very _Dogmatical_ about these matters; but I'll give them only these three Bones to pick.

First, One of our bewitched people, was cruelly assaulted by a _Spectre_, that, she said, ran at her with a _spindle:_ tho' no body else in the Room, could see either the _Spectre_ or the _spindle_. At last, in her miseries, giving a snatch at the _Spectre_, she pull'd the _spindle_ away, and it was no sooner got into her hand, but the other people then present, beheld, that it was indeed a Real, Proper, Iron _spindle_, belonging they knew to whom; which when they lock'd up very safe, it was nevertheless by _Demons_ unaccountably stole away, to do further mischief.[196]

Secondly, Another of our bewitched people, was haunted with a most abusive _Spectre_, which came to her, she said, with a _sheet_ about her. After she had undergone a deal of Teaze, from the Annoyance of the _Spectre_, she gave a violent snatch at the sheet that was upon it; wherefrom she tore a corner, which in her hand immediately became _Visible_ to a Roomful of Spectators; a palpable Corner of a Sheet. Her Father, who was now holding her, catch'd that he might keep what his Daughter had so strangely seized, but the unseen _Spectre_ had like to have pull'd his hand off, by endeavouring to wrest it from him; however he still held it, and I suppose has it still to show; it being but a few hours ago, namely about the beginning of this _October_, that this Accident happened; in the family of one _Pitman_,[197] at _Manchester_.

Thirdly, A young man, delaying to procure Testimonials, for his Parents, who being under confinement on suspicion of _Witchcraft_, required him to do that service for them, was quickly pursued with odd Inconveniences. But once above the Rest, an Officer going to put his _Brand_ on the Horns of some _Cows_, belonging to these people, which tho' he had seiz'd for some of their debts, yet he was willing to leave in their possession, for the subsistance of the poor Family; this young man help'd in holding the Cows to be thus branded. The three first _Cows_ he held well enough; but when the hot Brand was clap'd on the Fourth, he _winc'd_ and _shrunk_ at such a Rate, as that he could hold the Cow no longer. Being afterwards Examined about it, he confessed, that at that very instant when the _Brand_ entered the _Cow's Horn_, exactly the like [46] burning _Brand_ was clap'd upon his own Thigh; where he has exposed the lasting marks of it, unto such as asked to see them.

Unriddle these Things,--_Et Eris mihi magnus Apollo_.

_A Third_ CURIOSITIE.

III. If a Drop of _Innocent Blood_ should be shed, in the Prosecution of the _Witchcrafts_ among us, how unhappy are we! For which cause, I cannot express my self in better terms than those of a most Worthy Person, who lives near the present Center of these things.[198] _The Mind of_ God _in these matters, is to be carefully lookt into, with due Circumspection, that Satan deceive us not with his Devices, who transforms himself into an Angel of Light, and may pretend justice and yet intend mischief_. But on the other side, if the storm of Justice do now fall only on the Heads of those guilty _Witches_ and _Wretches_ which have defiled our Land, _How Happy!_

The Execution of some that have lately Dyed, has been immediately attended, with a strange Deliverance of some, that had lain for many years, in a most sad Condition, under, they knew not whose _evil hands_. As I am abundantly satisfy'd, That many of the Self-Murders committed here, have been the effects of a Cruel and Bloody _Witchcraft_, letting fly _Demons_ upon the miserable _Seneca's;_ thus it has been admirable unto me to see, how a Devilish _Witchcraft_, sending Devils upon them, has driven many poor people to _Despair_, and persecuted their minds, with such Buzzes of _Atheism_ and _Blasphemy_, as has made them even run _distracted with Terrors:_ And some long _Bow'd_ down under such a _spirit of Infirmity_, have been marvellously Recovered upon the death of the Witches.

One _Whetford_[199] particularly ten years ago, challenging of _Bridget Bishop_ (whose Trial you have had) with steeling of a Spoon, _Bishop_ threatned her very direfully: presently after this, was _Whetford_ in the Night, and in her Bed, visited by _Bishop_, with one _Parker_, who making the Room light at their coming in, there discoursed of several mischiefs they would inflict upon her. At last they pull'd her out, and carried her unto the Sea-side, there to _drown_ her; but she calling upon God, they left her, tho' not without Expressions of their Fury. From that very time, this poor _Whetford_ was utterly spoilt, and grew a Tempted, Froward, Crazed sort of a Woman; a vexation to her self, and all about her; and many ways unreasonable. In this Distraction she lay, till those women were Apprehended by the Authority; _then_ she be[47]gan to mend; and upon their Execution, was presently and perfectly Recovered, from the ten years madness that had been upon her.

_A Fourth_ CURIOSITIE.

IV. 'Tis a thousand pitties, that we should permit our Eyes to be so _Blood-shot_ with passions, as to loose the sight of many wonderful things, wherein the Wisdom and Justice of God, would be Glorify'd. Some of those things, are the frequent ==Apparitions== of Ghosts, whereby many Old ==Murders== among us, come to be considered. And, among many Instances of this kind, I will single out one, which concerned a poor man, lately _Prest_ unto Death, because of his Refusing to _Plead_ for his Life.[200] I shall make an Extract of a Letter, which was written to my Honourable Friend, _Samuel Sewal_, Esq.; by Mr. _Putman_, to this purpose;

'The Last Night my Daughter _Ann_, was grievously Tormented by Witches, Threatning that she should be _Pressed_ to Death, before _Giles Cory_. But thro' the Goodness of a Gracious God, she had at last a little Respite. Whereupon there appeared unto her (she said) a man in a Winding Sheet, who told her that _Giles Cory_ had Murdered him, by _Pressing_ him to Death with his Feet; but that the Devil there appeared unto him, and Covenanted with him, and promised him, _He should not be Hanged_. The Apparition said, God Hardned his heart; that he should not hearken to the Advice of the Court, and so Dy an easy Death; because as it said, _It must be done to him as he has done to me_. The Apparition also said, That _Giles Cory_, was carry'd to the Court for this, and that the Jury had found the Murder, and that her Father knew the man, and the thing was done before she was born. Now Sir, This is not a little strange to us; that no body should Remember these things, all the while that _Giles Cory_ was in Prison, and so often before the Court. For all people now Remember very well, (and the Records of the Court also mention it,) That about Seventeen Years ago, _Giles Cory_ kept a man in his House, that was almost a Natural Fool: which Man Dy'd suddenly. A Jury was impannel'd upon him, among whom was Dr. _Zerobbabel Endicot;_[201] who found the man bruised to Death, and having clodders of Blood about his Heart. The Jury whereof several are yet alive brought in the man Murdered; but as if some Enchantment had hindred the Prosecution of the Matter, the Court Proceeded not against [48] _Giles Cory_, tho' it cost him a great deal of Mony to get off. Thus the Story,'

_THE Reverend and Worthy Author, having at the Direction of His_ EXCELLENCY _the Governour, so far Obliged the Publick, as to give some Account of the Sufferings brought upon the Countrey by_ Witchcraft; _and of the Tryals which have passed upon several Executed for the Same:_

_Upon Perusal thereof, We find the Matters of Fact and Evidence, Truly reported. And a Prospect given, of the_ Methods of Conviction, _used in the Proceedings of the Court at_ Salem.

Boston Octob. 11. 1692.
William Stoughton
Samuel Sewall.

BUT is _New-England_, the only Christian Countrey, that hath undergone such Diabolical Molestations? No, there are other Good people, that have in this way been harassed; but none in circumstances more like to _Ours_, than the people of God, in _Sweedland_. The story is a very Famous one; and it comes to Speak English by the Acute Pen of the Excellent and Renowned Dr. _Horneck_.[202] I shall only single out a few of the more Memorable passages therein Occurring; and where it agrees with what happened among ourselves, my Reader shall understand, by my inserting a Word of every such thing in ==Black Letter==.

I. It was in the Year 1669. and 1670. That at _Mohra_ in _Sweedland_, the ==Devils== by the help of ==Witches==, committed a most horrible outrage. Among other Instances of Hellish Tyranny there exercised, one was, that Hundreds of their Children, were usually in the Night fetcht from their Lodgings, to a Diabolical Rendezvouz, at a place they called, _Blockula_, where the Monsters that so Spirited them, ==Tempted== them all manner of Ways to ==Associate== with them. Yea, such was the perillous Growth of this _Witchcraft_, that Persons of Quality began to send their Children into other Countries to avoid it.

II. The Inhabitants had earnestly sought God by ==Prayer==; and ==Yet== their Affliction ==Continued==. Whereupon ==Judges== had a Special ==Commission== to find and root out the Hellish Crew; and the rather, because another County in the Kingdom, which had been so molested, was delivered upon the Execution of the _Witches_.

III. The ==Examination==, was begun with a Day of ==Humiliation==; appointed by Authority.[203] Whereupon the Commissioners ==Consulting==, how they might resist such a Dangerous Flood, the ==Suffering Children==, were first Examined; and tho' they were [49] Questioned ==One== by ==One== apart, yet their ==Declarations All Agreed==. The ==Witches== Accus'd in these Declarations, were then Examined; and tho' at first they obstinately ==Denied==, yet at length many of them ingenuously ==Confessed== the Truth of what the children had said; owning with Tears, that the ==Devil==, whom they call'd _Loeyta_, had stopt their ==Mouths==; but he being now ==Gone== from them, they could ==No Longer Conceal== the Business. The things by them ==Acknowledged==, most wonderfully ==Agreed== with what other Witches, in other places had confessed.

IV. They confessed, that they did use to ==Call upon== the ==Devil==, who thereupon would ==Carry== them away, over the Tops of Houses, to a Green Meadow, where they gave themselves unto him. Only one of them said, That sometimes the _Devil_ only took away her ==Strength==, leaving her ==Body== on the ground; but she went at other times in ==Body== too.

V. Their manner was to come into the ==Chambers== of people, and fetch away their children upon Beasts, of the Devils providing: promising ==Fine Clothes== and other Fine Things unto them, to inveagle them. They said, they never had power to do thus, till of late; but now the Devil did ==Plague== and ==Beat== them, if they did not gratifie him, in this piece of Mischief. They said, they made use of all sorts of ==Instruments== in their Journeys! Of ==Men==, of ==Beasts==, of ==Posts==; the _Men_ they commonly laid asleep at the place, whereto they rode them; and if the children mentioned the ==Names== of them that stole them away, =they= were miserably ==Scourged== for it, until some of them were killed. The ==Judges== found the marks of the Lashes on some of them; but the Witches said, ==They would Quickly vanish==. Moreover the Children would be in ==Strange Fits==, after they were brought Home from these Transportations.

VI. The ==First Thing==, they said, they were to do at _Blockula_, was to give themselves unto the Devil, and ==Vow== that they would serve him. Hereupon, they ==cut their Fingers==, and with ==Blood== writ their ==Names== in his ==Book==. And he also caused them to be ==Baptised== by such ==Priests==, as he had, in this Horrid company. In ==some== of them, the ==Mark== of the ==cut Finger== was to be found; they said, that the Devil gave ==Meat== and ==Drink==, as to _Them_, so to the Children they brought with them: that afterwards their Custom was to _Dance_ before him; and _swear_ and _curse_ most horribly; they said, that the Devil show'd them a great Frightful, Cruel _Dragon_, telling them, ==If they confessed any Thing==, he would let loose that Great Devil upon them; they added, that the Devil had a ==Church==, and that when the ==Judges== were coming, he told them ==he would== [50] ==kill them all==; and that some of them had ==Attempted to Murder the Judges== but ==could not==.

VII. Some of the ==Children==, talked much of a ==White Angel==, which did use to ==Forbid== them, what the Devil had bid them to do, and ==Assured== them that these doings would ==Not last long==; but that what had been done was permitted for the wickedness of the People. This ==White Angel==, would sometimes rescue the Children, from ==Going in==, with the Witches.

VIII. The Witches confessed many mischiefs done by them, declaring with what kind of ==Enchanted Tools==, they did their Mischiefs. They sought especially to ==kill the Minister== of _Elfdale_, but could not. But some of them said, that such as they wounded, would ==Be recovered==, upon or before their Execution.

IX. The ==Judges== would fain have seen them show some of their ==Tricks==; but they Unanimously declared, that, ==Since they had confessed==, all, they found all their ==Witchcraft== gone; and the Devil then ==Appeared very Terrible== unto them, threatning with an ==Iron Fork==, to thrust them into a Burning Pit, if they persisted in their Confession.

X. They were discovered no less than _three-score and ten_ Witches in One Village, ==three and twenty== of which ==freely confessing== their Crimes, were condemned to dy. The rest, (==One== pretending she was with Child) were sent to _Fahluna_, where most of them were afterwards executed. Fifteen Children, which confessed themselves engaged in this Witchery, dyed as the rest. Six and Thirty of them between _nine_ and _sixteen_ years of Age, who had been less guilty, were forced to run the Gantlet, and be lashed on their hands once a Week, for a year together; twenty more who had less inclination to these Infernal enterprises, were lashed with Rods upon their Hands for three Sundays together, at the Church door; the number of the seduced Children, was about three hundred. This course, together with ==Prayers== in all the Churches thro' the Kingdom, issued in the deliverance of the Country.[204]

XI. The most Accomplished Dr. _Horneck_ inserts a most wise caution, in his preface to this Narrative, saies he, _there is no Public Calamity, but some ill people, will serve themselves of the sad providence and make use of it for their own ends; as_ Thieves _when an house or town is on Fire, will steal what they can_. And he mentions a Remarkable Story of a young Woman, at _Stockholm_, in the year 1676, Who accused her own Mother of being a Witch; and swore positively, that she had carried her away in the Night; the poor Woman was burnt upon it: professing her innocency to the last. But tho' she had been an Ill Woman, yet it afterwards prov'd that she was not _such_ an one; for her Daughter came to the Judges [51] with hideous Lamentations, Confessing, That she had wronged her Mother, out of a wicked spite against her; whereupon the Judges gave order for her Execution too.

But, so much of these things; and, now, _Lord, make these Labours of thy Servant, Profitable to thy People!_

[205]_Matter Omitted in the Trials._

NINETEEN Witches have been Executed at _New-England_, one of them
was a Minister, and two Ministers more are Accus'd. There is a
hundred Witches more in Prison, which broke Prison, and about two
Hundred more are Accus'd, some Men of great Estates in _Boston_,
have been accus'd for _Witchcraft_. Those Hundred now in Prison
accus'd for Witches, were Committed by fifty of themselves being
_Witches_, some of _Boston_, but most about _Salem_, and the Towns
Adjacent. Mr. _Increase Mather_ has published a Book[206] about
_Witchcraft_, occasioned by the late Trials of Witches, which will
be speedily printed in _London_ by _John Dunton_.

THE DEVIL DISCOVERED.

2 Cor. II. ii. _We are not Ignorant of His_ DEVICES.

OUR Blessed Saviour has blessed us, with a counsil, as Wholsome and as Needful as any that can be given us, in Math. 26. 41. _Watch and Pray, that yee Enter not into Temptation._ As there is a Tempting _Flesh_, and a Tempting _World_, which would seduce us from Our Obedience to the Laws of God, so there is a Busy _Devil_, who is by way of Eminency called, _The Tempter;_ because by him, the Temptations of the _Flesh_ and the _World_ are managed.

It is not _One Devil_ alone, that has Cunning or Power enough to apply the Multitudes of _Temptations_, whereby Mankind is daily diverted from the Service of God; No, the _High Places_ of Our Air, are Swarming full of those _Wicked Spirits_, whose Temptations trouble us; they are so many, that it seems no less than a _Legion_, or more than twelve thousands may be spared, for the Vexation of one miserable man. But because those Apostate Angels, are all _United_ under one Infernal Monarch, in the Designs of Mischief, 'tis in the Singular Number, that they are spoken of. Now, the _Devil_ whose Malice and Envy, prompts him to do what he can, that we may be as unhappy as himself, do's ordinarily use more _Fraud_ than _Force_, in his assaulting of us; he that assail'd our First Parents, in a _Serpent_, will still Act _Like a Serpent_, rather than a _Lion_, in prosecuting of his wicked purposes upon us, and for us to guard against the Wiles of the _Wicked One_, is one of the greatest cares, with which our God ha's charged us.

We are all of us liable to various _Temptations_ every day, whereby if we are carried aside from the strait _Paths of Righteousness_, we get all sorts of wounds unto our selves. Of _Temptations_, I may say, as the Wise Man said, of _Mortality; there is no discharge from that war_. The _Devils_ fell hard upon both _Adams_, nor may [52] any among the Children of both, imagine to be excused. The _Son_ of God Himself, had this Dog of Hell, barking at Him; and much more may the Children of _Men_, look to be thus Visited; indeed, there is hardly any _Temptation_, but what is, _Common to Man_. When I was considering, how to spend one Hour in Raising a most Effectual and Profitable _Breastwork_, against the inroads of this Enemy, I perceived it would be done, by a short answer to this

CASE.

_What are those Usual Methods of_ Temptation, _with which the Powers of Darkness do assault the Children of Men?_

The _Corinthians_, having upon the Apostles Direction, Excommunicated one of their Society, who had married his Mother-in-law, & this, as it is thought, while his own Father was Living too; the Apostle encourages them to Re-admit that man, upon his very deep and sharp _Repentance_. He gives divers Reasons of his propounding this unto them; whereof one is, _Lest Satan should get advantage of them;_ for, had the man miscarried, under any Rigour of the Sentence continued upon him, after his _Repentance_, 'tis well if the Church itself had not quickly fallen to pieces thereupon; besure, the Success of the Gospel had been more than a little Incommoded. The Apostle upon this Occasion, intimates, That _Satan_ has his _Devices;_ by which word are meant, Artifices or Contrivances used for the _Deceiving_ of those that are Treated with them well, But what shall _we do_ that we may come to this _Corinthian Attainment, We are not Ignorant of Satan's Devices?_ [_Non cuivis homini Contingit!_]

Truly, the Devil has _Mille Nocendi Artes;_ and it will be impossible for us, to run over all the _Stratagems_ and _Policies_ of our Adversary. I shall only attempt a few Observations upon the _Temptations_ of our Lord Jesus Christ: who was _Tempted in all things like unto us, except in our Sins_. When we read the _Temptations_ of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Fourth Chapter of _Matthew_ There, Thence, you will understand, what was once counted so difficult; Even, _The way of a Serpent upon the Rock_. There are certain Ancient and Famous _Methods_ which the Devil in his _Temptations_, does mostly accustome himself unto; which is not so much from any Barrenness, or Sluggishness in the Devil, but because he has had the Encouragement of a, _Probatum est_, upon those horrid Methods. How did the Devil assault the First _Adam?_ It was with Temptations drawn from _Pleasure_, and _Profit_, and _Honour_, which, as the Apostle notes, in 1 Joh. 2, 16. are, _All that is in the World_. [53] With the very same temptations it was, that he fell upon the Second _Adam_ too. Now, in those _Temptations_, you will see the more _Usual Methods_, whereby the _Devil_ would be Ensnaring of us; and I beseech you to attend unto the following Admonitions, as those _Warnings_ of God, which the Lives of your souls depend upon your taking of.

There were especially Three _Remarkable_ Assaults of _Temptations_, which the _Devil_ it seems, visibly made upon our Lord; after he had been more invisibly for Forty dayes together _Tempting_ of that Holy One; and we may make a few distinct _Remarks_ upon them all.

§ The first of our Lords three Temptations is thus related, in Mat. 4, 3. _He was an Hungry; and when the Tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, Command that these Stones be made Bread._

From whence, take these _Remarks_.

I. The Devil will ordinarily make our _Conditions_, to be the Advantages of his _Temptations_. When our Lord was _Hungry_, then _Bread! Bread!_ shall be all the Cry of his Temptation; the Devil puts him upon a wrong step, for the getting of _Bread_. There is no Condition, but what has indeed some _Hunger_ accompanying of it; and the Devil marks what it is, that we are _Hungry_ for. One mans Condition makes him _Hunger_ for Preferments, or Employments, another mans makes him _Hunger_ for Cash or Land, or Trade; another mans makes him _Hunger_ for Merriments, or Diversions: And the Condition of every Afflicted Man, makes him _Hunger_ with Impatience for Deliverance. Now the Devil will be sure to suit his Perswasions with our _Conditions_. When he has our _Condition_ to speak with him, & for him, then thinks he, _I am sure this man will now hearken to my Proposals!_ Hence, if men are in _Prosperity_, the Devil will tempt them to Forgetfulness of God; if they are in _Adversity_, he will tempt them to Murmuring at God; in all the expressions of those impieties. Wise _Agur_ was aware of this; in _Prov._ 30, 9. says he, if a man be _Full_, he shall be tempted, _to deny God, and say who is the Lord?_ if a man be Poor, he shall be tempted, _to steal, and take the Name of God in vain_. The Devil will talk suitably; if you ponder your Conditions, you may expect you shall be tempted agreeably thereunto.

II. The Devil does often manage his _temptations_, by urging of our _Necessities_. Our Lord, was thus by the Devil bawl'd upon; _You want Bread, and you'll starve, if in my way you get it not_. The Devil will show some forbidden thing unto us, and plead concerning it, as of _Bread_ we use to say, _it must be had_. _Necessity_ has a wonderful compulsion in it. You may see what _Necessity_ will do, if you read in Deut. 28. 56. _the tender and the delicate Woman among you, her eye shall be evil towards the Children that she shall bear, for she shall eat them for want of all things_. The Devil will perswade us that there is a _Necessity_ of our doing what he does propound unto us; and then tho' the _Laws_ of God about us were so many _Walls_ of Stone, yet we shall break [54] through them all. That little inconvenience, of our coming to beg our _Bread_, O what a fearful Representation does the Devil make of it! and when once the Devil scares us to think of a sinful thing, _it must be done_, we soon come to think, _it may be done_. When the Devil has frighted us into an Apprehension, that it is a _Needful_ thing which we are prompted unto, he presently Engages all the Faculties of our Souls, to prove, that it may be a _Lawful_ one; the Devil told _Esau, You'll dye if you don't sell your Birthright;_ the Devil told _Aaron, You'll pull all the people about your ears, if you do not countenance their superstitions;_ and then they comply'd immediately. Yea, sometimes if the Devil do but Feign a Necessity, he does thereby _Gain_ the Hearts of Men; he did but feign a Need, when he told _Saul, the Cattel must be spared, and the sacrifice must be precipitated_, and he does but feign a Need, when he tells many a man, _if you do no servile work on the Sabbath-day, and if you don't Rob God of his evening_,[207] _you'll never subsist in the world_. All the denials of God, in the world, use to be from this Fallacy impos'd upon us. It never can be necessary for us to violate any Negative Commandment in the Law of our God; where God says, _thou shalt not_, we cannot upon any pretence reply, I _must_. But the Devil will put a most formidable and astonishing face of necessity upon many of those _Abominable things, which are hateful to the soul of God_. He'll say nothing to us about, the one thing needful; but the petite and the sorry _Need-nots_ of this world, he'll set off with most bloody Colours of _Necessity_. He will not say, _'tis necessary for you to maintain the Favour of your God, and secure the_ welfare of your Soul; but he'll say, _'tis necessary for you to keep in with your Neighbours; and that you and yours may have a good Living among them_.

III. The Devil does insinuate his most Horrible _Temptations_, with pretence, of much _Friendship_ and _Kindness_ for us. He seemed very unwilling that our Lord should want any thing that might be comfortable for him; but, he was a _Devil_ still! The _Devil_ flatters our Mother Eve, as if he was desirous to make her more Happy than her Maker did; but there was the _Devil_ in that flattery. _Sub Amici fallere Nomen_,----to Salute men with profers to do all manner of Service for them; and at the same time to Stab them as _Joab_ did _Abner_ of old; this is just like the _Devil_, and the _Devil_ truly has many Children that Imitate him in it. Some very Affectionate Things were spoken once unto our Lord; _Lord, be it far from thee, that thou shouldest suffer any Trouble!_ But our Lords Answer was, in Mat. 16. 23. _Get thee behind me Satan._ The Devil will say to a man, _I would have thee to Consult thy own Interest, and I would have Trouble to be far from thee_. He speaks these _Fair Things_, by the Mouths of our professed Friends unto us, as he did by the Tongue of a Speckled Snake unto our Deluded Parents at the first. But all this while, 'tis a Direction that has been wisely given us; _When he speaks fair, Believe him not, for there are seven Abominations in his Heart_.

IV. Things in themselves _Allowable_ and _Convenient_, are oftentimes turned into sore _Temptations_ by the Devil. He press'd our Lord unto the mak[55]ing of _Bread;_ Why, that very thing was afterwards done by our Lord, in the Miracles of the _Loaves;_ and yet it is now a motion of the _Devil, Pray, make thy self a little Bread_. The Devil will frequently put men by, from the doing of a _seasonable Duty;_ but how? Truly by putting us upon another _Duty_, which may be at that juncture a most _Unseasonable_ Thing. It is said in Eccl. 8. 5. _A Wise Mans heart discerns both Time and Judgment._ The _Ill-Timing_ of good Things, is One of the chief Intregues, which the Devil has to Prosecute. The Devil himself, will Egg us on to many a _Duty;_ and why so? But because at that very Time a more proper and Useful Duty, will have a _Supersedeas_ given thereunto. And, thus there are many Things, whereof we can say, though no more than this, yet so much as this, _They are Lawful ones_, by which Lawful Things----_Perimus Omnes_. Where shall we find that the Devil has laid our most fatal Snares? Truly, our Snares are on the _Bed_, where it is _Lawful_ for us to Sleep; at the _Board_, where it is _Lawful_ for us to Sit; in the _Cup_, where 'tis _Lawful_ to Drink; and in the _Shops_, where we have _Lawful_ Business to do. The _Devil_ will decoy us, unto the utmost Edge of the _Liberty_ that is _Lawful_ for us; and then one Little push, hurries us into a Transgression against the Lord. And the _Devil_ by Inviting us to a _Lawful_ thing, at a wrong time for it, Layes us under further Entanglement of Guilt before God. 'Tis _Lawful_ for People to use Recreations; but in the Evening of the Lords Day, or the Morning of any Day, how Ensnaring are they! The _Devil_ then too commonly bears part in the Sport. If _Promiscuous Dancing_ were Lawful; though almost all the Christian Churches in the World, have made a Scandal of it; yet for Persons to go presently from a _Sermon_ to a _Dance_, is to do a thing, which Doubtless the _Devil_ makes good Earnings of.

V. To _distrust_ Gods Providence and Protection, is one of the worst things, into which the Devil by his _Temptations_ would be hurrying of us. He would fain have driven our Lord unto a Suspicion of Gods care about Him, said the Devil, _You may dy for lack of Bread, if you do not look better after your self, than God is like to do for you_. It is an usual thing for Persons to dispair of Gods _Fatherly Care_ Concerning them; they torture themselves with distracting and amazing Fears, that they shall come to want before they dy; Yea, they even say with _Jonas_, in Chap. 2. 4. _I am cast out of the sight of God;_ He wont look after me! But it is the Devil that is the Author of all such Melancholly Suggestions in the minds of men. It is a thought that often raises a Feaver in the Hearts of _Married_ Persons, when Charges grow upon them; _God will never be able in the way of my calling, to feed and cloath all my Little Folks_. It is a Thought with which _Aged_ persons are often tormented, _Tho' God has all my dayes hitherto supplied me, yet I shall be pinched with Straits before I come to my Journeys end_. 'Tis a malicious Devil that raises these _Evil surmisings_ in the hearts of Men. And sometimes a distemper of Body affords a Lodg[56]ing for the Devil, from whence he shoots the cruel Bombs of such _Fiery Thoughts_ into the minds of many other persons. With such thoughts does the Devil choose to persecute us; because thereby we come to _Forfeit_ what we _Question_. We _Question_ the Care of God, and so we _Forfeit_ it, until perhaps the Devil do utterly _drown us in Perdition_. Our God says, _Trust in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed_. But the Devil says, _don't you trust in God; be afraid that you shall not be fed;_ and thus he hinders men from the _doing of Good_.

VI. There is nothing more Frequent in the _Temptations_ of the Devil, then for our _Adoption_ to be doubted, because of our _Affliction_. When our Lord was in his Penury, then says the Devil, _If thou be the Son of God;_ he now makes an _If_, of it; _What? the Son of God, and yet not be able to Command a Bit of Bread!_ Thus, when we are in very Afflictive Circumstances, this will be the Devils Inference, _Thou art not a Child of God_. The Bible says in Heb. 12. 7. _If you are Chastened, it is a shrow'd sign that you can't be Children._ Since he can't Rob us of our _Grace_, he would Rob us of our _Joy;_ and therefore having Accused us unto God, he then Accuses God unto us. When _Israel_ was weak and faint in the Wilderness, then did _Amalek_ set upon them; just so does the Devil set upon the people of God, when their Losses, their Crosses, their Exercises have Enfeebled their Souls within them; and what says the Devil? E'en the same that was mutter'd in the Ear of the Afflicted _Job, Is not this the Uprightness of thy Ways? Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being Innocent? If thou wert a Child of God, He would never follow thee, with such Testimonies of his Indignation_. This is the _Logic_ of the Devil; and he thus interrupts that patience and that Chearfulness wherewith we should _suffer the will of God_.

VII. To dispute the Divine Original and Authority of _Gods Word_, is not the least of those _Temptations_ with which the Devil troubles us. God from Heaven, had newly said unto our Lord, _this is my Beloved Son;_ but now the Devil would have him to make a dispute of it, _If thou be the son of God_. The Devil durst not be so Impudent, and Brasen fac'd, as to bid men use _Pharaohs_ Language, _Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?_ But he will whisper into our Ears, what he did unto our Mother _Eve_ of old, _It is not the Lord that hath spoken what you call his Word_. The Devil would have men say unto the _Scripture_, what they said unto the _Prophet_, in Jer. 43. 2. _Thou speakest falsely; the Lord our God hath not sent thee to speak what thou sayest unto us;_ & he would fain have secret & cursed Misgivings in our hearts, _that things are not altogether so as the Scripture has represented them_. The Devil would with all his heart make one huge Bonefire of all the Bibles in the world; & he has got Millions of persecutors to _assist him in the suppression of that miraculous book. It was the devil once in the tongue of a Papist_, that cry'd out, _A plague on this bible; this 'tis that_ [89] _does all our mischief_. But because he can't _Suppress_ this Book, he sets himself, to _Disgrace_ it all that he can. Altho' the Scripture carries its _own Evidence_ with it, and be all over, so pure, so great, so true, and so powerful, that it is impossible it should proceed from any but God alone; yet the Devil would gladly bring some Discredit upon it, as if it were but some _Humane Contrivance;_ Of nothing, is the Devil more desirous, than this; That we should not count, _Christ_ so precious, _Heaven_ so Glorious, _Hell_ so Dreadful, and _Sin_ so odious, as the Scripture has declared it.

§. The Second of our Lords Three Temptations, is related after this manner, in Mat. 4. 5, 6. _Then the Devil taketh him up, into the Holy City, and setteth him upon a Pinacle of the Temple; and saith unto him, if thou be the Son of God, cast thy self down; for it is written, He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their Hands, they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy Foot against a Stone_.

From whence take these _Remarks_.

I. The places of the greatest _Holiness_ will not secure us from Annoyance by the _Temptations_ of the Devil, to the greatest wickedness. When our Lord was in the _Holy City_, the Devil fell upon him there. Indeed, there is now no proper _Holiness_ of _Places_ in our Days; the Signs and Means of Gods more special Presence are not under the Gospel, ty'd unto any certain _places:_ Nevertheless there are _places_, where we use to enjoy much of God; and where, altho' God visit not the _Persons_ for the sake of the _Places_, yet he visits the _Places_ for the sake of the _Persons_. But, I am to tell you that the Devil will visit those _Places_ and best _Persons_ there. No _Place_, that I know of, has got such a _Spell_ upon it, as will always keep the Devil out. The _Meeting-House_ wherein we Assemble for the Worship of God, is fill'd with many Holy People, and many Holy Concerns continually; but if our Eyes were so refined as the Servant of the Prophet had his of old, I suppose we should now see a Throng of _Devils_ in this very place. The Apostle has intimated, that Angels come in among us; there are Angels it seems that hark, how I _Preach_, and how you _Hear_, at this Hour. And our own sad Experience is enough to intimate, That the _Devils_ are likewise Rendevouzing here. It is Reported, in _Job_ 1. 5. _When the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them._ When we are in our Church-Assemblies, O how many _Devils_, do you imagine, [90] croud in among us! There is a _Devil_ that rocques one to Sleep, there is a _Devil_ that makes another to be thinking of, he scarce knows what himself; and there is a _Devil_, that makes another, to be pleasing himself with wanton and wicked Speculations. It is also possible, that we have our _Closets_, or our _Studies_, gloriously perfumed with Devotions every day; but alas, can we shut the Devil out of them? No, Let us go where we will, we shall still find a Devil nigh unto us. Onely, when we come to Heaven, we shall be out of his reach for ever; _O thou foul Devil; we are going where thou canst not come!_ He was hissed out of _Paradese_, and shall never enter it any more. Yea, more than so, when the _New Jerusalem_ comes down into the _High Places_ of our Air, from whence the Devil shall then be banished, there shall be no Devil within the Walls of that Holy City. _Amen. Even so Lord Jesus, Come quickly._